While app developers, security experts and the
federal government debate how to regulate mobile data collection, there are a
number of steps consumers can take to protect their privacy and increase data
security while using mobile shopping apps.

A September 2014 Experian Cybersecurity Survey of
1,000 U.S. adults found that consumers rarely read mobile app privacy
statements. Only 22 percent of respondents said they read privacy policies
before downloading an app of any kind, and 25 percent reported shopping online
without reviewing mobile app privacy protections.

"Clients have to practice good data security
hygiene and so do consumers," says Donna Wilson, Privacy and Data Security practice
co-chair of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, LLP. Until policies are
revised and there's a better understanding of e-commerce security,
"consumers have to take responsibility for their own security."

Here are four questions you should ask yourself
before and after downloading a mobile shopping app to help decipher policies
and keep personal and payment information secure:

1. Is
the app from a trustworthy company and app store?
If you are leery about whether a retailer will keep
your payment and personal information safe in-store, don't use its mobile app.

"First and foremost, don't even consider
downloading apps that aren't in support of well-established companies," says
Christopher Budd, Trend Micro's global threat communications manager. "You
have to recognize and trust them. For example, if you compare an app from
Macy's to one from, say, Bob's Magic Road Discounters, Macy's would have a leg
up in my book."

Don't even consider
downloading apps that aren't in support of well-established companies.

--
Christopher Budd
Trend Micro

The origin of a mobile shopping app also matters.
"Do not get apps anywhere other than the official app platform stores,"
Budd says. "Don't use apps that are downloadable straight from other
websites."

Mobile apps have to meet certain requirements to
even be listed in the Google Play store and Apple's iTunes App Store, so
sticking to apps offered in those places guarantees you at least a basic level
of security and data protections.

2. Do
the app permissions make sense?
When
you download an app, you are granting it access to specific pieces of
information or areas of your mobile device such as location details, Internet
search history or payment information.

Depending on the phone's operating system and the
app, you may be prompted to review and accept app permissions at different
times. Often they'll appear in a pop-up window before you finish downloading
the app, when you first launch the app or when you create a mobile account.

More important than when the permissions appear is
what they say. Look for what the app is asking to access. Do the permissions
make sense based on the purpose the app serves?

For example, if an app helps locate deals and stores
in your area, having access to your device's GPS location makes sense, but why
would it need access to your phone's camera and microphone? Permissions that
don't match with the service you are receiving should be a red flag and
encourage you to dig for more information.

"If you don't feel comfortable with what you
find, then don't engage with the business," Wilson says. "Find an
alternative app that you don't find as invasive."

Video: Tips for using mobile gift cards

3. Are
your mobile purchases protected?
If you are entering sensitive payment information or
loading money onto a virtual app account, knowing how you are protected in the
event of fraud or even just a technical glitch is important. Yet the FTC
determined in its mobile
shopping app study that finding this type of information
in an app privacy or user policy may be hard -- if it even exists at all.

If something would go wrong, what would you be
concerned about?

--
Patti Poss
FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection

"If something would go wrong, what would you be
concerned about?" said Patti Poss, mobile technology attorney for the
FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "And look at the guidelines before
you start buying, don't wait until something goes wrong later."

Where to find purchase protection information varies
among apps. If you can't find it in a privacy policy within the app, search the
company website or check with your payment card issuer or bank to see if they
offer any protections specific to mobile purchases.

Again, if you can't find enough information to make
you feel comfortable using the app, delete and choose another.

4. Can
you tighten your mobile device's security settings?
If you don't like a shopping app's policies and you
still want to use it, consider reviewing your mobile device's settings to see
if you can tighten security overall, not just for one particular app.
"Don't ever, ever go with the default," Wilson says.

If you have an Android mobile device, unchecking a
"save all login credentials" box, running regular security system
updates, encrypting removable SD cards and avoiding apps that can't be verified
by Google Play are all steps you can take to increase your digital privacy and
data security. Apple mobile devices don't have quite as many options but you
can restrict location services and then go into each downloaded app to adjust
what it can access.

There are also some overall precautions each
platform user can take.

"I would say with Apple devices the consumer should
understand how to access the privacy settings in their devices settings and in
the individual apps turn off different access settings," says Preet Anand, CEO of BlueLight, a
technology company that develops emergency response apps.
"For Android I would suggest consumers be judicious about reading through
the permissions and understanding what they are granting access to upon
download. If they don't like what they see, don't use the app."

Common privacy policy terms and definitions

Personally
identifiable information (PII): Information such as
name, Social Security number or email address that's used to identify you.

Cookie:
A small piece of data about you and your device that's stored in a Web browser
or app to help customize your experience. It may contain account information
and track your purchase behavior or search history. Shopping apps use their own
cookies but may also allow third-party cookie access.

Passively
collected information: Data about you and/or your
behavior collected on a rolling basis while you use an app. Examples: Your
location or activity history.

Actively
collected information: Data you provide in response to a
request, such as contact details and other info you willingly provide to tailor
your shopping experience.

Third-party
affiliates/companies: Apps that compile information from
different websites, stores or brands (such as coupon and deal-finder apps) may
share consumer data with outside companies. Common third-party affiliates
include companies that offer similar products, ad agencies or even social media
websites.

We encourage an active and insightful conversation among our users. Please help us keep our community civil and respectful. For your safety, do not disclose confidential or personal information such as bank account numbers or social security numbers. Anything you post may be disclosed, published, transmitted or reused.

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